


And When She Wakes

by betterwatchyourmouthsunshine



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Gen, Team Delusional
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2015-10-26
Packaged: 2018-04-28 08:19:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5085253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betterwatchyourmouthsunshine/pseuds/betterwatchyourmouthsunshine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened and what's going on. Where is Beth Greene and who is she now. Takes place season 5b.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pale Light

The delicate flutter of eyelashes on her icy cheeks dragged her from the long sleep ever so slowly. It was cold, not just the bite in the air that seeped into any exposed skin. No, it was not the air that froze the blood running through her veins, it was the feeling she got when she opened her eyes for the first time. She felt nothing and remembered nothing as her eyes wandered the clinical room she found herself in. From the look of the equipment that was surrounding her she guessed she was in a hospital but there was something that made her uneasy about this place. 

How did she get here was the first thought that came, but that question wasn’t half as daunting as the second. As the sun shone pale morning light onto the empty chair beside her she realized someone should have been sitting there waiting for her to open her wild blue eyes and shower her with hugs and kisses. The chair sat there cold and unused judging by the layer of dust that had built up on the seat. As she lay staring at the swirling dust she thought to herself who she had expected to see waiting for her by her bedside. She couldn’t think of anyone she loved or anyone at all really, come to think of it she couldn’t even remember if she had a mother and father. After that she came to the conclusion that she had absolutely no clue who she was and surprisingly it didn’t frighten her at all. 

When she tried to remember her past life all she got was an overwhelming feeling of grief. So she started with something smaller, her name. Nothing. No fear bubbled in her belly as she sat in a hospital bed with only dust bunnies to comfort her. In fact it was more like the calm before the inevitable storm. She laid bathing in the light of the rising sun listening to the soft murmur of the people in the hall that she didn’t know. When she closed her eyes she expected to blackness to swallow her but she found something else. 

Running. She remembered running. Her legs ached just thinking about the miles they have carried her. Running was all her confused brain would show her. So she focused on the feel of it. She concentrated so hard that she felt an ache in her forehead but the curiosity drove away the pain. Running. She felt warm Georgian sun beating down on her as she ran carelessly through endless farmlands. Running the high school track slowly so her skinny legs didn’t tangle her and cause her a world of embarrassment. Then running from the horror that came to the farmland in the quiet of the night. Past high wire fences away from gunfire and people she didn’t recognize. She felt herself run through forest and water, away from a burning building. Trying to get away from an unknown light in the darkness and through a concrete graveyard littered with the bodies of the dead.   
Something else came to her then, something she would happy to forget.   
Rot.   
She tried to shy away from the rancid thought but there it was, tugging at her senses. The sight of it, the feel of it and the god damn smell of it. She thought she must have been imagining it but she forced her eyes open and went to the window and she knew it was true. Burnt and broken buildings dominated the skyline. However the eerie silence is what was uncomfortable. Quieter than the dead of night. More still than a photograph. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Instinct kicks in, her hand grabbing at the top of her pants for something that’s not there. Not surprising considering her own memories didn’t belong to her anymore let alone her possessions from a previous life. For the first time since she opened her eyes to this unknown world, she panicked. There she stood, not much more than a skeleton with skin, ready to fight whatever was coming through that door with her bare hands, shaking slightly from the fierce fire in her veins. 

Tan, worn hands held up in submission came through first, closely followed by a man in his mid-thirties. He was saying something to her that she didn’t quite catch, it might not have even been English but she picked up on his Mexican accent. He was wearing a black shirt and his pearly white and silver rosary beads stood out from it in stark contrast. She knew that he wasn’t going to hurt her but she couldn’t bring herself to let her guard down. He tells her his name, Guillermo she thinks. In that moment however it all became a bit too much and the dull ache she had tried to ignore had turned into searing pain just before her world went black again. 

Maybe it was better this way, living in the darkness. In the darkness she could get away from the running and the dead. It was almost peaceful in a depressing way. White light began to burn away the blackness surrounding her. A voice spoke to her softly, whispering sweet nothings to calm her fragile state. The voice of a man who had seen many Georgian winters and even more empty whiskey glasses. The sound of his voice soothed her and she knew this man is or was part of her life. She could hear water lapping against a shore not very far away and voices of old friends from a life she couldn’t remember. His words found her ears. “Sweat heart, it has been lovely to see you again but you aren’t ready yet. I know the world may seem dark and perilous but it is not completely lost. We will be waiting here for you when the time comes but it is not your time. Go back Beth. We love you.”

Beth… So that is her name. She thought knowing her name would make her feel better but it just made her realize how much more she didn’t know. When her eyes opened for the second time after cheating death she felt stronger. Even though she had no idea where her place in this new world was, she now knew two things. Her name is Beth and she had a really bad feeling about this hospital. 

…

Guillermo was sitting next to her when she woke. She found that she was strangely comfortable by his presence; he seemed like a good man. She got the feeling that good people were few and far between in this new world. Guillermo introduced her to his friends Felipe and Miguel after she had her dinner. They didn’t talk much but their eyes told stories of horror and loss. Did she really want to live in a world like this one? The thin scar on her wrist told her that wasn’t the first time she had asked herself that question. However the horrors they had seen had not turned them into the monsters they desperately tried to escape so she thinks she can trust them. The male Officer who came through the door was another story. 

He came through the opening with a satisfied smirk that told Beth this man was in charge of this hospital and everyone in it, and he very much enjoyed the power. Beth sat, silently watching, analyzing this man, Officer Licari. It’s funny really how it takes the end of the world for people to show the ugly creatures that lurk just below the surface of their cool exterior. Beth was vaguely aware that Officer Licari has asked her a question that she didn’t know the answer to. After she sat in silence, Officer Licari left the room in an angry huff muttering under his breath. Guillermo let out a small chuckle at her side and for the first time since she woke to the pale, cold light of a broken world, she also smiled with a small, girly giggle at the back of her throat. It died away as another unfamiliar face entered the room. A doctor this time, he looked kind, but not untouched by fear. He looked at her with sadness and apologies in his gaze. She realized she has been at this hospital before because she can tell Dr. Edwards knows more about her than she does. Dr. Edwards is the first person she told that she can’t remember anything apart from her first name. He looks surprised and backs out of the room before she even finished her sentence. She looked at Guillermo but his face was as blank as she felt. Dr. Edwards eventually returns following Officer Licari, who began to tell her what happened before she had slept for three weeks after she had been shot.   
“We found you by yourself, cold and dying in the woods. We saved you. We brought you back here but another group followed us. You were with them before you came to Grady. They attacked us, said we stole you and wouldn’t let you go. The leader, Rick, said we had to give them everything we had.” Guillermo stiffened at the name. Beth could feel her stomach twist at the story she was hearing. Officer Licari continued but this time his voice wasn’t the only one she heard.   
“We told them we were only trying to help and you could leave whenever you wanted but Ricks’ attack dog, Daryl…” She didn’t think it was possible but Guillermo sat up even straighter. He knew these people as well.   
“Redneck asshole shot our leader Dawn straight through the head for no reason.”  
Liar…  
It took a moment to realize the voice she had heard was in her head. Thick Georgian drawl spat the word at the man in front of her. She didn’t even give a thought to the fact that she trusted an unknown voice in her mind over the flesh and blood looming over the end of the bed. The rest of the story mostly flew over her head, only catching small parts of the conversation.   
“You were hit by the crossfire.”  
Liar…  
“They took you body and left it in a car when you were still alive, when there was still a chance. They abandoned you when there was still hope.”  
Silence. Edwards was utterly quite through the story. Only coming in at the end to tell her how lucky she was that the Vatos group had found her when they did or she wouldn’t be here now. She didn’t think she should be here now, she didn’t want to be here listening to strangers tell her about things she couldn’t remember. She felt like she should be running because that was the only thing that made sense to her. Judging by the pounding in her head she didn’t think she could run very far before the blackness swallowed her up again. So she fought the urge to run and instead got up to look at her unfamiliar reflection. She was alone now, she didn’t remember anyone leaving the room but there she was, alone again in an emotionless room. She padded over to the mirror, tiles like ice under her bare feet. 

Scars covered her cream coloured face. Her blonde hair was brushed and pulled back in a loose plait. She barely saw her intense blue eyes blazing because all she could see were scars that showed the struggles of a life in a world were the dead walk the earth and the living are even scarier. Maybe once she had been young and even pretty. Beth couldn’t see a young, pretty little songbird that had tried to take her own life to avoid becoming what she is now. Looking at herself she saw what she was. She was strong and she was a survivor, not just another dead girl. 

…

Beth didn’t hear him enter the room. She wasn’t sure how long he watched her as she took her time becoming familiar with her own features.   
“Greene” he blurted out before she touched the scar that had changed her forever.   
“What?”  
“Greene. Beth Greene. That’s your name. I thought you would like to know. Sorry, I shouldn’t have… I’ll leave.”  
“No… I…” she paused because she did want him to leave but she couldn’t be so cruel after he was just trying to be kind. She settled for a swift thank-you before the doctor left as quietly as he had appeared. She didn’t want to hear any more stories from these people. It made her confused and unsure of whom to trust. Should she listen to the voice in her head or was it just her confused brain playing tricks. Officer Licaris’ story about the people she was with made no sense. Would she really have been with a group who takes what they want by force or was it the voice that was telling the truth. It was all too much so she lay back down on the bed that was actually familiar to her and let sleep take her.


	2. Tall Grass

She was running again, this time through a meadow of white flowers. She wasn’t alone either, she tried to look back to see who was following her. She was too happy for it to be one of the dead following her tracks. All she saw was the bright sun shining in her eyes, and she fell into the tall grass and he followed her the ground with more grace than she had displayed. She couldn’t make out his features as he laid beside her with a halo of wildflowers and she felt so warm listening to the birds sing their songs through the trees. She realized she could hear a young country girls voice carried by the wind. 

And we’ll lay in the lawn  
And we’ll be good. 

…

When the light of dawn woke her she still felt warm despite the brisk morning air. The dream had made her know that there was someone who had made her happy for a time. She had no idea whether is was before the chaos or if this man was even still alive. The way he looked at her in the dream told her if he were alive he would have never left her in the trunk of a car to die and come back as a monster. No he was probably one of the reasons she felt the grief threatening to tare her apart. 

Guillermo brought her breakfast just as she was about to get up and find some for herself. She noticed he spoke quietly to someone just outside the door before he closed it. He sat down beside her and waited for her to finish her food before he spoke. When he did, it was so soft she thought it might have been another voice in her head.   
“Beth, are you sure you don’t remember anything from before?” She could tell he was going to gesture towards her head but then thought better of his decision. It seemed like a ridiculous question to ask her. What would she even have to gain from lying about that but then she couldn’t remember anything so maybe she did have something to gain from lying. Either way she guessed Guillermo just had become accustom to not trusting new people.   
“No I don’t remember anything from before. I don’t remember my family or the group I was with but I…” She paused because she thought what she was about to say probably sounded crazy in normal circumstances but the circumstances she found herself in were so far from normal she decided it didn’t matter so she continued. “Even though I can’t remember the memories I think the instincts are still there and I have a feeling that is so vivid that it has to be real. They are lying to us about how I was shot and I don’t know why.”   
Guillermo was staring at his hands as if he had never seen them before. Evidently he was also trying to assess how crazy he was about to sound.  
“I believe you.” He didn’t look up from his hands when he said it. It was so hushed she thought he might not have said it at all.   
“You knew the people I was with didn’t you.”  
He mumbled a yes in answer and finally looked from his hands. Then he told her about his time after the end of the transmission and his encounter with her group.   
“They were good people when we met them, helped us even after we held one of them hostage. I don’t think these people are telling us the truth about what happened because the men that we met would never have shot innocent people.”  
“Do you think we are safe here?”  
“For now, while they think that we are buying their story.”  
“What if they realize we know?”  
“Then we leave, but not before you’re strong enough. Try to find out what you can from the doctor.”  
“The only part of their story that I think is true is that I wasn’t allowed to leave, that’s the only reason my group would have came here. What if they do the same to us?”  
He looked at her and she caught a glimpse of sorrow and then it was gone as he said, “I’ll take care of it.”

She was alone again in her own prison cell that disguised itself as a helpful hospital. What did it say about the human race when it was safer to be alone in the woods surrounded by the roaming dead then it was to be locked away high above the threat on the ground with the law enforcers from a lost way of life. There was no place for police and government in this dark time. People are going to do what they feel necessary to survive and these Officers are no different so why pretend to be something you’re not. We are living on borrowed time and they sit here acting like one day they will wake up and the biggest threat they will face is that the milk in their fridge is a day past its used by date. 

Her frustration was beginning to set her teeth on edge. Instead of dwelling on the landmine of questions in her head she thought it best to give herself something to do. She wondered what had become of her belongings, assuming that she had some when she arrived in this place. The draws opposite the bed seemed as good a place as any to start. As her hand wrapped around the handle the door opened. Doctor Edwards had a puzzled expression on his face as he wondered what she was attempting. Staring at him, she tried to will him to tell her what was going on but of course that would never work. Not dropping her gaze, she bore holes into him with her eyes and he squirmed under the pressure. It seemed he was intent on becoming a mute when he was around her unless she forced him to speak. “Is it possible that I can have my belongings?” A simple request it might be but the war on his face said otherwise. When there was no answer she added, “I thought it might help me remember if I was in the company of my own things.”  
“No we… I can’t allow that.” Correcting himself before he gave away the true intent of this hospital and its’ occupants.   
“What is the harm?”  
“It might bring on another dizzy spell.”  
“I don’t mind, last time I had one of those I remembered my name.”  
“I’m sorry but it is not permitted.” With that he was gone. This information gathering business was going to be harder than it appeared.

…

Beginning to feel a grumble in her stomach as she watched the last rays of the sun disappear into the horizon, she tried to leave the room in search of food when another unfamiliar Officer blocked her way. Telling her she wasn’t strong enough to be walking around by herself, he swiftly dismissed her back to her sleeping quarters and told her someone would bring her food shortly and not to be impatient. Hating this place more and more with every step she took back to her prison cell. Felipe was hovering just down the hall watching the Officer escort her, and she saw him out of the corner of her eye watching away as she entered the room.   
“Now how about this time, no wandering around the hospital without an escort. Who know what kind of trouble you might find yourself in.” The wicked grin that followed the demeaning remark made Beth’s skin crawl. 

Finding herself at the window, resting her forehead on the cool glass so found herself pining over the world outside this hellhole. All she could think about was leaving. Pressing her hands firmly against the glass she fought emotions crawling out from deep within her hidden memories. The temperature of the glass was the only thing keeping her anchored to the moment she was in and if she let go she had no idea where her mind would take her. Providing the perfect distraction to snap her back to reality was the sounds of Guillermo’s voice calling her name. Turning she was relieved there were no black spots clouding her vision. The three Vatos men starred at her wondering if she had any news to tell them. They hadn’t been surprised when she reveled she hadn’t been successful and that was because they had found the same results. After a long silence Felipe mentioned that while he had been lurking the halls to make sure Beth didn’t need anything during the day he had taken notice of some dried blood splatters on the wall near the 5th Floor sign but there was no bullet holes to indicate any sort of firefight that Officer Shepard described. 

Eating the food they had brought her while she took in the accounts of each of their days. She couldn’t help but wonder how they had managed to get here or how they had found her. Her head burned with questions but now wasn’t the right time while they were desperately trying to decide what to do about the current situation. All Beth knew was that they needed to leave and soon. Guillermo understood that but the other two weren’t as easily convinced to give up a seemingly safe haven because of a few gut feelings from a girl they barely knew. They didn’t question their leader because he was their friend and they knew he would do anything for them.

 

…

It had been an agonizing four days being confined to one room of this hospital. Miguel had been providing her with his company. He was a lovely boy, there was a beautiful naive soul that hadn’t yet been dampened by the terrors he had endured. He told her stories of his childhood and how he met Guillermo not long before the apocalypse. Guillermo took him in a week after the world went quite and his mother had disappeared, Miguel had nothing to his name and was little more than a kid but it didn’t matter. Guillermo put a roof over Miguels’ head and food in his belly and expected nothing in return. They took up refuge in an old folks home and looked after all those in it. Beth had asked Miguel about what had happened to there home and when his eyes turned glassy she knew it was a story he didn’t like to share. His stories lightened the tensions that were ever mounting. Since she had woken the Vatos men she now considered her friends were being given more jobs to do around the hospital to contribute to this small society. Beth didn’t feel comfortable with the feeling that they owed these people more everyday. Deciding she needed to be ready for the outside world and having nothing better to do with her day she started exercising in her room. The aching in her forehead had dulled over the week but she got the feeling it would never really leave her. Nor did she want it to; it reminded her of what she had been through even if she didn’t know the full story. She had made it. 

Doctor Edwards did his best to keep his distance from her and her prying questions of her past. Didn’t she deserve to know? Growing tired of the constant lies being spun she was close to her boiling point. She had become quite strong now and was allowed to go and get her own food from the canteen area. Her legs were long overdue for a walk and by the time she got back to her room she just wanted to run. Miguel and Felipe joined her for dinner in her room, this was becoming a routine of dinnertime and she didn’t mind. Guillermo was always late to join them; they were making him do extra time on the lookout after he insisted that Miguel keep Beth company and her needs attended to while she was recovering. He didn’t mention that Miguel was there mainly because he didn’t trust these so called Officers with the lives of his people. When he closed the door after himself, he quietly leant his back against it and without warning his knees gave way and slipped down to the ground. Beth began to move to him before his hand flew up to dismiss her worries. Red-rimmed eyes looked up at them, he was exhausted.   
Through half closed eyes and gritted teeth he breathed, “We need to leave this place before it kills us.”  
“I’m strong enough now.”  
“They aren’t just going to let us leave, that much is clear.” Felipe sighed after the words left him. As if admitting it made the task harder.  
“I will take your shift tomorrow so you can rest and then we can get the hell out of this dungeon.”  
“I will take my half of the shift as well.” Miguel was quick to make sure Beth wasn’t about to spend twelve hours on the roof.   
“We’ll meet here again tomorrow night and discuss it further but I think we will either have to leave tomorrow or the next day. Preferably at night to make it harder for the guards to spot us.” Guillermo had closed his eyes now and it wouldn’t be long before he slipped into a deep sleep. Beth felt her own eyes heavy under the weight of her eyelids and she realized that tonight might be the last night in a long while she could get a peaceful sleep and so she planned on making it count. As if they had read her thoughts, the two other men helped Guillermo to his room before they had to carry him. They waved her goodnight and closed the door behind them. 

When she lay her head down on the pillow she couldn’t help but smile as she hoped she had another dream about the mysterious man in the meadow. The reality of the world was so grim that she craved to become Alice and find her own Wonderland in the late hours of the night when her dreams took hold. It was the only time she didn’t feel confused and she had a sense of belonging. Before she new it she was falling down the rabbit hole of sub consciousness.


	3. Moonshine

It was hard to make out his features in the gloomy light streaming in through the patchwork on the windows. Dark hair hung long on his face and a large, calloused hand hid the bottom half of his face. Her vision was a little fuzzy and the man on the other side on the table came in and out of focus. A half full cup of Moonshine sat expectantly on the table.   
“Drink up.” The playful grumble made her heart skip a beat as she took a swig of the burning liquid. They had both laughed at her crinkled nose and she heard the familiar singing before the dream was over. 

So we will drink beer all day  
And our guards will give way  
And we’ll be good.

…

Standing on the roof looking out over a long dead city was more freedom than she had felt all week. A patronizing Office Licari had leaned in closer than she was comfortable with as he tried to teach her to use the firearm she was holding. Pulling her shoulders from his grasp with an abrupt movement she made her way to the edge of the building and took aim at a dead one roaming the street. She breathed in as she steadied her hand and took the shot as she exhaled. Time seemed to slow as her eyes moved with the bullet and when it hit the mark the side of her mouth twitched into a smirk. It seemed to come natural to her and the proud Officer didn’t like to be shown up by a young blonde girl who only knew her name. Hearing the pebbles of the roof be disturbed by sulking feet she knew he was leaving and her shoulders thanked her for the release of tension. 

Another two walkers took the place of the one she had shot down and she wondered to herself what the point of being up her was. It would be a waste of ammo to pick them off one by one. Looking around at the other sentries she realized that the point of being up here was quite simply something to fill in the long, mind-numbing days of the apocalypse. 

The stones gave Doctor Edwards away before he had the chance to sneak up on her again. He seemed surprised to see her up here and she was glad that at least some things were different than the last time she was in this god-forsaken place. Gesturing her silently to follow him and he glanced briefly over his shoulder at the others on the room. Once he was convinced they were out of sight and earshot he leaned on the side of the roof and for a second Beth thought he was going to be sick. After a few minutes he plucked up the courage to turn to her expecting face.   
“What I am about to tell you is not easy for me.” His voice came out cracked from the worries that were laced in it. “You need to know the truth but I beg you to not reveal where you heard it from.”   
Beth nodded slowly to begin with and then eagerly to encourage his confidence in her. He told her of how she arrived here after being kidnapped and how she had saved a member of her own group that had been brought in after being hit by a car. Her breath hitched in her throat as he began talking about the day she was shot and he was struggling with his words as well.  
“You attacked Dawn when you realized she wasn’t going to let Noah go and she shot you by accident. When he realized you had been shot he didn’t give Dawn the option to explain herself before he shot her in the head as well.” He wasn’t really looking at her and she could tell her was reliving the memories by the wincing in his features.   
“Who shot her?”  
“Daryl… Daryl shot her and then he cradled you in his arms trying to wake you.” She would have blushed if the cold wind weren’t rushing over her cheeks. It was the first story about her and the group she was with that she had heard to made her feel like she did belong somewhere and it defiantly wasn’t here. She didn’t know where they were but she didn’t care, she would walk to the end of the earth and back to find the part of her that was missing.   
“I have to leave this place.” She blurted it out after the rush of feelings she got from his story. Doctor Edwards didn’t look surprised because he heard her say it before. “How do I leave this place?”  
“You don’t. You’re going to have to leave under the cover of darkness if you don’t want them to see you. There is only one guard on at night and I’m pretty sure his doesn’t do much guarding while he there. You need to be careful Beth.” He looked straight into her blue eyes, “These aren’t good people anymore and if they catch you trying to leave, especially taking those three men with you, I don’t know what they will do.” Beth hadn’t mention anything about them leaving as well but then she supposed it was obvious considering one of them was almost always at her side. Their conversation was interrupted by footsteps but when she realized it was Miguel she let out a sigh of relief. Doctor Edwards was already turning to leave when she grabbed his arm. “You can come with us, you don’t have to stay here.” She spoke softly to calm him.   
“No I belong here helping people.”  
“I’m glad you were here to help me.” She felt a small smile curve her face. “Thank you. For everything Doctor Edwards.” Out of impulse, likely caused by a kind gesture buried deep in her consciousness, she leant up on her toes and pressed a feather-light kisses on his cheek. He looked sad and grateful all at once as he turned away from her for the last time. She told herself that the shimmer on his face was nothing more than the light playing tricks but she knew a single tear had rolled down the cheek she had kissed as he turned away. 

…

Later in the afternoon when she left Miguel on the roof to finish his shift she found herself wandering the halls in no particular direction. Before turning the corner she found herself listening to a hushed conversation that was certainly not intended for her ears.   
“Stupid little smartass bitch, can’t even be grateful for everything we’ve done for her. She’d be dead if it wasn’t for us.” It was the voice of the Officer she had showed up this morning, clearly still affected by the loss of his pride. “I’ll make her show some gratitude.” She didn’t have to see his face to know that it was twisted at his wicked thoughts.   
She heard a growl in her head that was barely recognizable as human. She turned silently not wanting to hear anymore and went in search of Guillermo. She looked everywhere with no luck and when she retreated but to her room he was already there.   
“We are leaving tonight.” He was looking out the window as he spoke, half to her and half to the world outside. Beth didn’t protest, glad he felt the same way as her. “We have a car with some supplies and weapons parked a few blocks away. I ran into Doctor Edwards this morning and he gave me a backpack with your things in it along with some knives he could get a hold of without anyone noticing. Did you tell him we were leaving?” Guillermo handed her the bag and she was anxious to touch and feel her things.   
“Not until this afternoon on the roof.” She hoped not everyone was expecting the groups’ sudden departure like Doctor Edwards.   
“Okay well you should probably get some rest because its going to be a long night, if we can get out of the city then I think we will lose them, they will be expecting us to stay in the city somewhere. I’m going to keep watch here; Felipe and Miguel will be here once they have finished their shifts. I’ll wake you when its time.” She smiled at him as she lay down on the bed. Sleep crept in faster than she was expecting and she was back in her dreamland before she knew it. 

…

It’s unclear what we intend  
We’re alone in our own world.

There was a glint of silver before her dreams came to her. It was dark surrounded by the woods. Quite with no murmurs of footsteps near the porch she sat on. She looked up from her empty glass to gaze at him. Only barely visible in the light provided by the moon and stars. His hair hung in his face as he took his knife to the wood post in front of him. “You’re gunna be the last man standing.” A small voice said. When he looked in her direction she realized the voice was hers.

You don’t wanna be my boyfriend   
And I don’t wanna be your girl.

“Let’s burn it down.” He got up and looked down at her. She felt her cheeks warm and her lips curve as his piercing blue eyes stared at her.   
“We’re gunna need more booze.”  
As she watched the flames light up the night sky she could hear the singing drifting towards her from every direction. They stood for a while saluting the burning heap until it was broken by the sight of the dead. Her skin prickled under his touch on her arm.

And that, that’s a relief  
We’ll drink up our grief   
And pine for summer.

…

She was woken suddenly from her dream with the sound of a door shutting abruptly. When she looked around the room she found her group already discussing escape plans. She ate the dinner they had brought for her as they filled her in on their ideas. None of them sounded easy in the daylight let alone during the night. Worry slightly about the chances Beth got up to look over the city in the dying light, her finger trembling slightly as they ran through her hair. It wasn’t getting out that made her uneasy, it was the thought of staying in this place another day. Turning to face her comrades, the doorknob caught her attention. Swiftly pacing across the room before it could open, the knife that was resting on the dresser was now a head height waiting for an attacker. Officer Shepard was startled to find the glint of silver blocking her way into the room but she looked into Beths’ eyes before she ducked under and firmly closed the door behind her.   
“I’m glad you found weapons, you’re going to need them. You must leave tonight.” The Officer found Beths’ eyes before she continued, “You won’t want to imagine what will happen if you stay another day. There will only be one guard on tonight at the staircase because Licari is hosting a party. I will have to be there but I have already made arrangements to take care of the guard. You will have to wait until about midnight but that should leave you enough time to get out of the city. Tomorrow when they find you missing, I will try my hardest to keep the search to the perimeters of the city.”  
“How do we know we can trust you?” Guillermos’ tone was confident and questioning.  
“You don’t.” She handed him her gun and Beth wondered if it reminded him of Rick. “But it’s the best chance you’ve got.” As she left she put a hand on Beths’ shoulder, squeezing gently as she shot her a soft smile.

They silently agreed that it was the best chance they had. Guillermo went back to his room because the Officers were watching him closely but Miguel stayed behind. Fear was written in the features of Officer Shepherds face when she had told them not to wait another day had shook the group to the core. They knew they were bad news but not to the extent that a member of their group would be so willing to do everything in her power to keep them from getting to Beth. 

They agreed to wait until five minutes before midnight at the fifth floor sign near the stairwell. With three hours to kill a shower seemed like a good place to start. Who knows when the next chance might be. Cold water flowed through her hair and down her cheeks. She welcomed the lack of hot water, keeping her thoughts at bay. Finding herself staring at her reflection, she noticed her scars were starting to fade. Finding some scissors in the draw she stood debating whether to cut a fringe to help hide the worst of them. For a long while she watched her eyes dart from side to side with her thoughts and they without warning she put the scissors down. Hiding her scars would be trying to hide what she was and what she had survived. Scars told stories and even if she didn’t know them, she wasn’t ashamed of them. Instead of hiding them, she pulled her hair back into a tight but and slide on a beanie she found in the bag Doctor Edwards had left her. They were her armor, made her feel ready for battle as she took pride in her reflection. She was no longer looking at a stranger in the mirror. In her own clothes and a knife strapped to her cowboy boots, she was finally ready to face the new world. 

…

“G! G! They’ve taken her!” Miguel skidded to a hault next to the fifth floor sign, the words spilling from his mouth as he found Guillermos face in the shadows of the hallway.   
“Who took her?” Felipe pulled the knife from his belt as Miguel stood panting in the corridor.   
Guillermo already knew whom he was talking about, he had known since Officer Shepherd had come to their aid. “Officer Licari. Bastard hasn’t kept his eyes off her since we brought her here. Always lurking around looking for some sort of sick satisfaction. Where did they take her?”   
“The party that Officer Shepherd was telling us about, I followed them into the hall and I heard something about the sixth floor.”  
“Alright lets…” His plan to save Beth was interrupted by the loud ringing of a gunshot.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys liked it. I just had to get it off my chest. More to come.


End file.
